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Lunch at The Kibowa Orphanage

Lesia

February 20, 2017

Look at these happy faces! The children at the Kibowa orphanage received food supplies for a couple of months recently. We could provide it thanks to a generous donation from Ken and Linda Cohen, 2 of our USA clients. Their donations were so generous that we brought food deliveries to Kibowa twice! Once around Christmas week and the rest about a month later!

The children from the orphanage really appreciated all the gifts and kindly invited us for lunch to share what they have. They didn’t forget to feed the cat who seemed to be the happiest in the room. He was getting food from everyone!

Wonderful thing about the children at the Kibowa orphanage is that they share and help each other. They brought bags to the kitchen by themselves like one amicable family. They help the mamas to cook and to take care of the house. All of them are going to school which is not far from a new building that the orphanage has moved into.

Our team thinks that all of these kids deserve a nice education. And we are sure they will study and work hard to get the best future they can for themselves and for Tanzania. Their smiles are the best gift that we can receive. Thank you to Ken and Linda as it is not possible without their help!

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"Mother Bear" Visited Tanzanian Orphanage

Lesia

January 30, 2017

The Shadows of Africa Team has a fantastic source of inspiration: our customers. Not only adventurers, but people with open hearts and great ways of thinking.

Patty and Kathleen from the USA brought one extra bag for their safari. We were surprised to find out it was full of hand-made bears. Kathleen has been a part of the community, “Mother Bear” for fourteen years and they have sent thousands of bears to different African countries.

Now her dream came true – she finally had an opportunity to give these bears to kids in person!Lesia and Julia from our team joined the ladies for the orphanage visit. They headed to Africa Amini Life, which is famous not only because of its unique lodge but because of its successful social projects such as the local hospital, school, and orphanage support.

One of the founders of Africa Amini, Austrian doctor Kornelia Wallner, met guests in the hospital and escorted them to the orphanage. She shared a story about a newborn child they’d just saved from death. Unfortunately, the mother died giving birth, but the baby was strong enough to survive. That’s why they gave her the name, Leon, which sounds close to “lion”.

It seems like these bears really have lots of a mother’s warmth that kids from the orphanage are looking for. All of them were more than excited to get their presents and started playing immediately, trying to guess their new friends’ names. Kathleen and Peggy taught the kids to sing a “Teddy Bear Song” and the kids all banded together to teach the ladies how to sing a popular local song, “Jambo”.

We are proud of our travelers who can bring additional meaning to their African journey. It’s not that hard to do something great and important in your life, you just need to be brave enough to start!

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Meaningful Travel & Packing with Purpose

Chris Walker Bush

October 22, 2016

Visitors to Tanzania may wish to visit Kibowa Orphanage as part of their trip. Here's how you can pack with purpose and bring some happiness to needy kids.

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Amini Africa Maasai Lodge: A Cultural Experience with Social Benefit to Match

Lauren Smith

September 5, 2016

Bordering Arusha National Park, Africa Amini Maasai Lodge gets a huge tick of approval from the Shadows of Africa team. Not only does this lodge offer a unique experience and offer genuine interaction with the Maasai and elements of their culture but your stay also helps to support social projects run by the founders and members of the local Maasai community.

Healthcare in Tanzania is largely determined based on accessibility and affordability. Such barriers to healthcare are significantly exacerbated in more rural areas of the country. Recognising that healthcare was not attending to the needs of Maasai in Momella, Arusha, Doctor Cristine Wallner from Austria (founder) began to take this issue into her own hands. From its small beginnings of attending to clients under the giant fig tree, Amini Africa has expanded into a permanent hospital, and also provides access to other social services such as education and vocational skills training.

The Fig Tree and Starting Place for Africa Amini

“Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services”- Article 25 of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948

When Dr Wallner shifted to Tanzania, her idea was to establish access to professional healthcare where there was none. Due to the isolation of Momella, people requiring treatment needed to travel hours by foot to the nearest health facility. Today, the health facilities at Momella are some of the best in the region.

Shadows of Africa recently visited Amini to get a glimpse at the work they were undertaking. Remtulla, our designated tour guide, took us around the hospital including their new operating theatre (opening in October), the school and orphanage, computer learning centre, women’s centre, library and healing centre.

Nurses Rooms

If you’re interested in getting a genuine cultural experience during your stay in Tanzania, while supporting a great cause at the same time, don’t go past Africa Amini Maasai Lodge. Check out the rest of the photos from our tour below!

Women's Centre

Healing Centre with Natural Remedies

Library

Orphanage

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Meaningful Travel in Africa

Chris Walker Bush

December 23, 2015

What is Meaningful Travel?
Meaningful travel is the belief that travel can be about more than just having an amazing time and taking beautiful photos.
It's the belief that you can do all of these things while still leaving the place you visited a better place than it was when you arrived.
It's about giving something back to the country that has amazed and moved you through volunteering at orphanages, charitable organisations, or conservation programmes.

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Meaningful Travel Tanzania

AdminSoa

June 16, 2014

Shadows of Africa is proud to present the Meaningful Travel Tanzania, program that will make your traveling experience in Tanzania unforgettable and in same time at customized prices participating in this program you will contribute to education of orphans. Each traveler in Meaningful Travel Tanzania will sponsor a child with school fees for 1 year. Travel, explore and contribute for the development of Tanzanian children to have better education, better future.

Thanks to partner local NGO From Arusha - Green Hope Organization, we are able to offer you an voluntaristic experience in Tanzania. You will spend one week exploring Arusha and its surroundings by visiting local projects covered by Green Hope and additional three days will be spent on Tanzanian safari. If you want to add a meaning and personal growth to your visit in Tanzania, then this program is perfect for you.

During your stay in Arusha, Tanzania

You will learn few useful Swahili words that you will find useful while you are here

You will engage with the most vulnerable children (orphans) Visit 3 different orphanages. Hear their needs and wishes, sing a song, play football or any other game activity that you and children will find mutually interesting.

You will visit the Green Hope Dispensary and look at the procedures and the way that clinic operate; talk with the Doctor at the clinic and find out more about the most common diseases and care, treatment of patients.

You will meet with HIV positive community and visit 3 different families for home base care visit. Deliver them a small package of food as donation. Hear their challenges and problems they are facing on day to day basis.

You will visit other NGO that is working on education and community development to the most vulnerable children. Get more information about their work and what they are trying to achieve.

You will visit the only glass recycling place in town, where the people with disabilities are recycling glass and creating different types of useful decorations, tools and gifts.

You will visit local craft market, where you will find unique carvings and gifts to buy for family and friends at home.

You will go out clubbing to party and see the night life of Arusha.

NOTE: Depending on the traveler interest and profession these activities can be edited and changed.

Safari part of the program will start in Arusha and you will visit Lake Manyara, Tarangire National park and Ngorongoro crater!

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Help Spencer Raise Money For Buying Goats in Uganda

AdminSoa

May 14, 2014

We are helping our young client Spencer with raising money for his Mitzvah project,he is raising money to buy fertile goats to give to the orphans in the nearby villages. If you want to help, read more how to donate money.

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Meaningful Travel Programs

AdminSoa

June 18, 2013

You can travel and help the children with Shadows of Africa! Meet new people, be immersed in new cultures and make a difference where they need it most!

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Shadows of Africa Launches Traveling With Purpose Packages

AdminSoa

November 2, 2012

Shadows of Africa offers four new itineraries in Tanzania and Zanzibar with time also spent helping directly and indirectly at the Kibowa Orphanage in Arusha...